


Fly With Me

by leamh



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 05:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5772415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leamh/pseuds/leamh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reasons for the astonished look on Bilbo’s face were the semi-translucent dragonfly-esque wings sprouting from her shoulder blades. You see, Illena was unlike any other creature of middle earth. She was one of the fae. A complete myth to everyone save the White Council, and for good reason.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Unexpected Party

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments

The cool summer air whirled around her as she trekked up the dirt lane lined on either side with tall grasses and wildflowers. Almost without realizing she did it she picked one, a wild daisy, and tucked it into the braid that ran down the left side of her skull. Running her fingers through the rest of her long silver hair she continued on up the path, coming to a tidy garden at the top of the hill. A path lead through it to a round green door, emblazoned with the runes for ‘burglar’, ‘danger’, and ‘treasure’.

 

Standing in front of the door she took a deep breath to steady herself. She could hear a raucousparty going on inside, music and loud voices drifted out the open window as well as a continuous stream of smoke

 

Taking another breath she knocked on the door. She heard the noise quiet slightly and after a few seconds the door opened to reveal an extremely disgruntled hobbit in a patchwork dressing gown.

 

He stood there for a moment opening and closing his mouth like a fish before she swept into a mock curtsey. “Illena, at your service. You must be Bilbo.” She extended a hand to him but he simply continued to gape at her.

 

Deciding that he wasn’t going to come to his senses any time soon, she pushed past him into the long hallway. Hanging her cloak up next to the others she heard Bilbo’s gasp.

 

“So I have to use my party trick to get a noise out of you?” She laughed lightly. 

 

The reasons for the astonished look on Bilbo’s face were the semi-translucent dragonfly-esque wings sprouting from her shoulder blades. You see, Illena was unlike any other creature of middle earth. She was one of the fae. A complete myth to everyone save the White Council, and for good reason.

 

The fae were the purest beings in middle earth, purer even than the elves for elves had a small seed of darkness in them overlooked by their makers which had allowed the dark lord Melkor to twist them and form them into orcs. But the fae were devoid of all darkness and so were granted the gift of flight. When Sauron had sought to conquer middle earth he had sworn to snuff out these lights and had almost succeeded. Illena was the last of her kind and she had spent over an age watching as kingdoms rose and fell from the safety of Lothlorien. When Gandalf had come to her in secret with a chance to hinder Sauron in his next attempt at covering the land in darkness she had been more than eager. She’d had over an age to train in archery, sword fighting, throwing knives and all manner of weapon wielding and was an extremely skilled warrior.

 

But none of her training had prepared her for dealing with dwarves and hobbits. In that she was almost at a loss and was just wondering what was proper to say to her dumbfounded host when Gandalf came to her rescue.

 

A bright smile lit her face and her wings fluttered slightly, “Gandalf! I didn’t think you’d be here just yet, although I suppose I’m the one that’s late.”

 

“I’m sure you arrived precisely when you meant to, my dear.” He smiled, stooping down the considerable distance to kiss her hand, for she was only slightly taller than a hobbit and shorter than the average dwarf.

 

“Shall we introduce you to the rest of the company?” He asked leading her down the hall and towards the noise.

 

“I suppose you must if I’m to help them on this journey.” She quipped, following him. She dully sensed their host trailing after them. 

 

The room was so clouded with pipe smoke that she could hardly make out the faces of the dwarves sitting farthest from the door. One by one Gandalf introduced each dwarf who then nodded or gave her the standard “At your service”. She supposed she should probably have left her wings covered so she wouldn’t be as much of a shock to them but it was too late to go back and they were bound to find out eventually. 

 

After all the introductions were done she edged her way to a seat near the back of the room in order to get a better look at them all. She settled in next to a brown haired dwarf with hardly any beard that she thought might be Kili. His eyes were dark to match his hair but they had a mischievous sparkle to them. 

 

“I’m Kili, and this is my brother Fili.” He gestured to the dwarf sitting on the other side of her. She turned to shake hands and her heart leapt to her throat. His hair, beard, and braided mustache were the color of spun gold while his eyes were a deep azure blue.

 

She pushed down the heat she could feel rising in her cheeks and firmly shook his hand “I’m Illena.”

 

“So what exactly has Gandalf brought you on for? I was under the impression that Uncle was only going to hire one burglar.” Kili asked.

 

“I’m not a burglar. Gandalf brought me on for protection, fighting, dragon slaying, etcetera. Wait, did you say uncle?”

 

“ _Protection?_ How are _you_ supposed to protect _us?_ Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

 

Slipping the concealed blade from her thigh, she quickly flipped Kili into a headlock, pressing the dagger against his throat. “That’s how” she said matter of factly, letting Kili go.

 

“Impressive, but tricks like that won’t help you in a real battle.” said Fili.

 

“Trust me, _boy_ I’ve been training for battle since before your grandfather’s grandfather was a twinkle in his parents’ eyes. I know how to fight.”

 

Only then did she realize that the whole room had gone silent and everyone was listening to her conversation. Listening to her insult and threaten two members of the company.

 

She gave Gandalf a helpless look before shooting from the room, down the hall and out the door without her feet touching the ground. Once outside she settled in the soft grass covering the roof of the hobbit hole and glancing down to make sure she wasn’t followed, pulled out her pipe and weed. She had just lit her pipe when she noticed a dark figure walking up the lane. Curiously she watched as the figure looked this way and that before coming to Bilbo’s garden and pushing through the gate, strode to the door. He had long dark hair with streaks of silver and the same angular features of Fili and Kili. Clearly this must be their uncle and if Gandalf was true to his word (which he almost always was), this was the king under the mountain. Two and two clicked in her brain and she realized that the dwarves she had threatened and told off were the princes of Durin. How thick could she be to not realize it before? But then again Gandalf hadn’t told her much about the quest. It had been bad before but now it was even worse.

 

A few minutes after Thorin had disappeared into the house the door opened again and Kili appeared. After (barely) vaulting himself onto the roof beside her he pulled out his own pipe.

 

“I’m sorry I threatened you, my lord.”

 

“Oh drop the ‘my lord’ stuff, I’m just Kili and you have nothing to apologize for.”

 

“But—“

 

“No ‘buts’. I shouldn’t have doubted you in the first place and for that I’m the one who should apologize.”

 

“I’m used to being underestimated, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

 

“Aye, I have. But you seem like the type of lass to use underestimation to her advantage.” He gave her a sideways look and grinned.

 

“Well, you’re not wrong.” She said and grinned back. Her smile fell a little when she pictured the other prince. “I should apologize to your brother, it was wrong of me to insult him.”

 

“Oh, don’t worry about him” Kili said, chuckling. “He needs to be knocked down a few pegs every once in a while, else he gets too full of himself.”

 

“Well in that case I’d be glad to offer my services on that front as well.” She laughed.

 

“And I happily accept those services. Come on, we should go inside they’re probably waiting on us.”


	2. Singing in the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the song that Fili hums  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZdGE8_fOMM

Together they went back inside and found a much more subdued company still seated in the dining room with Thorin at the head of the table. Illena and Kili made their way back to their seats and watched the scene unfold before them. Gandalf produced a map and key that would lead them to a secret passage and grant them entrance to the mountain, the gate having been sealed off during Smaug’s attack. She tried to keep her attention on the proceedings in front of her but all the while could feel the glances of the golden prince to her left burning into her. 

 

“I have taken the liberty of finding you a dragon slayer in addition to my promises of a burglar.” Gandalf told Thorin, “She is the Lady Illena and the best warrior I have ever seen. She has spent over an age training in Lothlorien.” Thorin turned to Illena with a gaze so sharp it nearly burned a hole right through her. She saw something akin to hatred in his eyes and had to restrain herself from physically recoiling from it. How could someone hate her without knowing her?

 

“She has trained with the elves? Well then I must refuse your offer. We want none of their ilk polluting this company.” Thorin’s tone was flat.

 

“Oh come now, she’s the most qualified person to kill Smaug out of everyone here including you Thorin Oakenshield. Now stop this nonsense!” Gandalf scolded the king, “Balin, do you have a contract for the lady?”

 

“Aye, I do” A white haired dwarf said. He glanced nervously at Thorin who gave a slight nod and passed the paper to Illena. “I also have one for Master Baggins.”

 

Illena scribbled her signature on the paper not even bothering to read it but their host was thorough. 

 

“Incineration?!” she heard him squeak.

 

“Aye, he’ll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye. Think furnace with wings.” A dwarf with a funny hat that she thought might be Bofur was saying.

 

“Yes I know what a dragon is!” Bilbo squeaked again.

 

“Are you alright?” Illena asked when Bilbo bent over, taking deep breaths. He stood up straight.

 

“No.” He said and fainted.

 

Without thinking Illena took the fastest route to him and flew over the table. She carefully picked up the hobbit’s head and placed it in her lap. “Gandalf would you make some tea?” She asked to which he nodded and ducked into the kitchen. When he was out of the room she rounded on the dwarves. “What did you have to go and do that for?”

 

It was Thorin who answered her. “If the hobbit faints at the mere mention of what lies before us then I rather think he is more a grocer than a burglar.”

 

Illena glared at him but stroked Bilbo’s hair, trying to coax him back to consciousness. After a minute of muttering from the dwarves, the hobbit’s eyes flickered open. She and Gandalf ushered him into the sitting room and pushed a steaming mug of chamomile tea into his hands. He still seemed frazzled and she and Gandalf agreed that he should be given some time alone to rest. 

 

She wandered back down the long hallway back to the dining room only to find it empty. Then she heard singing coming from another room, a second sitting room. The music was deep and sorrowful. Not wanting to intrude on the moment she stood half hidden in the doorway. Most of the dwarves were staring into the fire but Fili was staring at her with a curious expression on his face that she couldn’t quite decipher it seemed like sadness but there was something else there. She met his gaze and felt heat rising in her cheeks again.

 

When the song was over she retreated back down the hall and out into the front garden. She could sense she was being followed but ignored it. Once outside, she fluttered up to sit on the roof again. This time it was Fili who followed her out. He vaulted onto the roof much the same as his brother had before laying down in the grass next to her.

 

“I’m sorry about my uncle.” He said in a soft voice.

 

“I’m sorry I called you ‘boy’” She replied.

 

He looked at her with a small smile “I deserved it.”

 

Illena paused for a second before saying “Yes, you did. But don’t worry too much, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities to prove you wrong.” She grinned wolfishly and he chuckled, a deep rumble that vibrated through her. “I don’t think your uncle likes me.”

 

“Don’t take it too personally, he doesn’t like many people. And he likes anything elvish even less. When Smaug attacked he sought help from king Thranduil who refused him, forcing our people to wander, homeless, and without food. For that, he will never forgive the elves.”

 

“But that was just one elf. There’s a reason he’s not a part of the white council. He’s an absolute bastard!” She exclaimed earning a barking laugh from Fili. “The Lady Galadriel and the Lord Elrond are generous and kind. They granted me asylum and protected me. And for that I am ever in their debt. If it hadn’t been for them… Well I wouldn’t just be an endangered species, I would be extinct…” She looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

 

“I’m sorry.” Fili said softly. “I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be the only one of your kind.”

 

“Lonely…” She said and smiled sadly. They sat for a while smoking while Fili hummed a lamenting tune. Illena closed her eyes and reveled in the sound.


End file.
